28 ECHOES OF OLD COUNTY LIFE. 



merit, was obliged to vacate his seat, in the same way 

 as a Solicitor-General and several other members of a 

 Government, who, however, seek re-election. An office 

 of the same character is the Stewardship of the ]\Lanor 

 of Worksop. 



Although I believe open bribery was destroyed at 

 Aylesbury by enlarging the boundary of the Borough, 

 still treating was carried on to a great extent. And 

 there was some excuse ; the Borough became of an 

 unwieldy area, containing parishes and places as much 

 as fifteen miles distant from the town, and as every voter 

 had to be conveyed to the poll at Aylesbury itself, a 

 whole day was often spent by a man in going to and 

 fro. I shall crive later some curious details of election 

 expenses to show wdiat long purses elections in the good 

 old times could drain. But it is not only for records of 

 bribery that Aylesbury has a past worth noting : many 

 interesting events are connected with the representation 

 of the Borough. 



Sir Henry Austen Layard was first returned to Parlia- 

 ment for Aylesbury in conjunction with Mr. Bethell, who 

 became Lord-Chancellor Westbury. Mr. Layard was 

 subsequently defeated by Mr., afterwards Sir, Thomas 

 Bernard, the son of the Bernard of 1 802. We heard 

 many stories of the future Lord-Chancellor whilst he 

 was member for Aylesbury ; a marvellous advocate no 

 doubt, he was nevertheless a conspicuous failure in 

 Parliament, and even as a political speaker when address- 

 ing his constituents he was extremely disagreeable, a 

 certain mincing manner of delivery did not at all please 

 the rough-and-ready voters of the immaculate Borough 



